With my previous post going up so late in the morning of the next day I figured I would hold off on my next update overnight. So here is another 2 day entry!

The weather has changed drastically in the past few days. We have gone from negative 20’s (Celsius) to the positives. Which while it is lovely to go out in, is not so lovely to drive in or walk on the sidewalk with. We have ice on our steps from the melt off the roof and the roads are less than pretty. Today’s trip to the conservatory has been rescheduled to Friday after freezing rain made the roads iffy. Ken spoke with friends who had to have assistance getting their cars out and safely to work and with our new old van being still relatively new to us we decided against piling the family in to test the tires etc. A bit of a downer as I did not have much pre planned for homeschooling today otherwise but better safe and a little bored than on the road and scared.

But back to yesterday and the “big event” that I am sure everyone will be glad to read is over. Ken took the girls to meet their new paediatrician finally. It was a very brief appointment as he was backlogged from the previous week’s cancellations. This meant that while Ken was busy undressing Echo they were weighing and measuring Trinity resulting in Ken NOT having either of the girls’ measurements written down. From what I understand Trinity is right on track and Echo is great height and head (I thought that nurse at Public Health measured her head off to get a not good enough measurement) and is well on her way to 10 lbs! I will have to do some measuring and weighing here at home with our baby scale… Now Trinity was seen as perfect (only a matter of time before the rest of the world figured out what we already know!) and Echo was cooed over by all the nurses as being absolutely beautiful. Ears and eyes were checked, soft spot examined… etc etc. The doctor wants us  to bring in Echo at 6 months (a month or so from now) and if she has not gained weight then THEN he will be concerned. We are ecstatic to have a doctor who once again listens to us, considers family history AND takes into consideration almost 2 solid months of colds. So a good appointment!

Dressed and ready to go

Ken actually called the office earlier in the morning and was told to come an hour late due to all the rescheduled appointments so they simply swung back by home and picked the rest of us up after it. As a big treat we took all the kids to The Mall for some shopping and snacks. I got a great deal on a shirt and pants for Echo at H&M (clearance rack) for 2.00 a piece, looked around for jeans for Ken and then to the food court for snacks. The kids had New York Fries and Ken their poutine.

Fries with Daddy

I spoiled myself and got Chinese, which of course I had to share with the kids. We certainly do NOT waste food! How can you when there is no left overs? Though Ken pulled a stunt on me with his pop – he did not warn me that it was our usual shared Pepsi, so when I took a sip got Dr. Pepper – one of me least favourite of the colas… bleck! After eating we headed to the Victoria Secret/Pink store to buy new underwear. The twins and Echo went to cash with me and the girl there gave each of them one of the special stuffed dogs you got with purchase. The boys were sweet enough to pass them along to their sisters! Pink for Trinity and white for Echo.

The puppies... and the bag of undies

With a stop over at McDonalds on the way home for sandwiches we had enough time to finish the game of Trouble I had started with the boys before Ken picked us up. Poor Gavin got trounced over and over again but managed to keep pretty civil about it. Tuesday night is our actual game night but since the boys had worked rather hard on their homeschool stuff I figured we had time for a game.

Speaking of working hard – Zander finished his review workbook yesterday. He was VERY proud of the completion and when we sat back down with his Math book he was much better equipped to deal with the concepts and much more willing to follow the instructions. Hopefully this new resolve will stick, but if we get back into trouble I figure I will pull out another review book and see if we just aren’t quite cementing things in her mind. He seems to be more like Ken, if he is not interested in it or enjoying it he will not retain it well.

Completed workbook!

Gavin and I spent some quality time colouring a Chinese New Year picture to put on our wall. As a treat they each get a day to do a picture with Mommy using her markers. I have to get back to Michaels next time I have a decent coupon to get myself some new Crayola markers. Then I pass down my older set to the boys. They are finally running out of the previous package I gave them (they are not exactly religious about putting lids back on markers properly).

The beginnings of our wall

I finished the newest pattern we designed based on the Dr. Who series last night, anyone familiar with the series should get the reference. This one is based on a statement made multiple times by the 11th Doctor played by Matt Smith. I am hoping to have the pattern up for free download shortly!

All done

That leaves me with the Zombie piece I am currently working on and an insistent plea to Ken to get moving on the next pattern. I am not sure if he will get me my 3rd Dr. Who piece or my stepsister’s wedding sampler first. The latter is definitely going to be more complicated.

I ordered some more ribbon and barrettes off eBay today. I am on my last 4 clips and am finding it difficult to buy the colours I want without spending a ton for a colour I do not need tons of locally. I am hoping to make some fancier clips for gifts this year as well as some seasonal and holiday pieces for myself and our girls. And I wonder why I can’t find the time to learn to knit, tat or crochet… someday!

Emanuel got his latest Lego magazine yesterday which was so exciting for our 3 boys. This morning they made the snowman from the instructions in the magazine. And later that afternoon Trinity dismantled it quite happily (thank goodness the boys were ALL outside).

Completed Lego snowman

The boys spent most of the late afternoon outside… until they were little boy shaped popsicles pretty much. The backyard is a bit more compacted so making snowmen and climbing about was not so intense for them. Though Emanuel still needed a little help from his brothers and I kept Trinity in. She actually ended up with a bum rash from the little bit of Dr. Pepper she did have. Just a little reminder that we HAVE TO watch her refined sugar intake!

With actual snowman (Gavin left)

Tonight is an early night for me – or supposed to be. Tomorrow morning Ken and Zander go to the eye specialist for his yearly check up. They are watching his eye for improvement as when he is tired or stressed it has in the past tended to go lazy. They dilate and all that so just Ken goes (it is a lengthy appointment). The hope is that this could be our last or next to last appointment. At least he is not afraid to go and actually talks about it like it is a positive experience!

Oh, before I ran out of adhesive I managed to finish THREE scrapbook pages for Echo!

Baptism Gown

Adoarable

Christmas Eve

So back to stitching the Zombie piece and spending time with Echo tonight… tomorrow will most likely be busy!

Striking a pose